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CODE OF CONDUCT AND BUSINESS
ETHICS FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT
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A.
INTRODUCTION
This Code of Conduct and Business Ethics (the "Code")
helps maintain the standards of business conduct of Garware
Offshore Services Limited (the "Company" or "GOSL”).
The purpose of the Code is to deter wrongdoing and promote
ethical conduct. The matters covered in this Code are of
the utmost importance to the Company, our Shareholders,
Stakeholders and Creditors and are essential to enable us
to conduct our business in accordance with our values.
The Code is applicable to all Directors (Directors), Chief
Operating Officer, Presidents, General Managers and Senior
Managers, Company Secretary or such other Employee of the
Company as may be designated as member of Senior Management
for the purpose of this code by Chairman and / or Vice Chairman
of the Company from time to time (hereinafter referred to
as “Senior Management”.
The code shall be applicable from 31st day of December 2005.
Ethical business conduct is critical to our business. Directors
and Senior Management are expected to read and understand
this Code, uphold these standards in day-to-day activities,
and comply with, all applicable laws, rules and regulations.
The principles described in this Code being general in nature,
Directors and Senior Management may contact the Audit Committee
of the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors, if
they have any questions.
Directors and Senior Management should sign the acknowledgment
form at the end of this Code and return the form to the
Company Secretary & General Manager (Legal) indicating
that they have received, read, understood and agree to comply
with the Code. Directors and Senior Management are required
to sign an affirmation indicating their continued understanding
and compliance of the Code annually.
B. HONEST AND ETHICAL CONDUCT
All Directors & Senior Management should act with the
highest standards of personal and professional integrity,
honesty and ethical conduct wherever Directors & Senior
Management are representing the Company.
We consider honest conduct to be conduct that is free from
fraud or deception and marked with integrity. We consider
ethical conduct to be conduct conforming to accepted professional
standards of conduct. Ethical conduct includes the ethical
handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between
personal and professional relationships, as discussed in
more detail in Section C below.
In all cases, if you are unsure about the appropriateness
of an event or action, please seek assistance in interpreting
the requirements of these practices by contacting the Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors.
C. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Directors & Senior Management are expected to dedicate
their best efforts in advancing the Company's interests
and to make decisions that affect the Company based on the
Company's best interests and independent of outside influences.
Conflict of interest occurs when one’s personal interests
interfere in any way, or even appear to interfere, with
the interests of the Company. A conflict situation can arise
when a director takes actions or has interests that make
it difficult to perform his or her duties for the Company
objectively and effectively. Such conflict of interest may
arise not only as a result of direct personal interest,
but also indirectly as a result of the personal interest
of a relative or organizations affiliated with the director.
Relatives include spouse, parents, siblings, children and
their spouse, grandparents, grandchildren and step-relations.
Director’s & Senior Management’s obligation
to conduct the Company's business in an honest and ethical
manner includes the ethical handling of actual or apparent
conflicts of interest between personal and business relationships.
Following are some common examples that illustrate actual
or potential conflicts of interest:
• Owning an interest in a company that competes with
or does business with the Company;
• Participating in a joint venture, partnership or
other business arrangement with the Company; and
• Employment with or serving as a director of a competitor,
customer or supplier of the Company.
Director & Senior Management who has an actual or potential
conflict of interest, including any of the situations described
above, must disclose to the Audit Committee (1) the existence
and nature of the actual or potential conflict of interest
and (2) all facts known to him or her regarding the transaction
that may be material to a judgment about whether to proceed
with the transaction. The Director & Senior Management
may proceed with the transaction only after receiving approval
from the Audit Committee.
Please note that ownership of an interest in a company that
competes with or does business with the Company will not
be considered a conflict of interest if (i) it is an indirect
ownership interest through mutual funds or similar non-discretionary,
undirected arrangements, or (ii) is through the holding
of publicly-registered shares of such company and such shares
holding does not exceed 2% of the Paid-up Share Capital
of the Company.
D. CORPORATE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Except as described elsewhere herein, a director may engage
in business so long as he or she does not pre-empt or seize
a corporate business opportunity. A corporate business opportunity
is (1) an opportunity in the Company’s line of business
or proposed expansion or diversification, (2) which the
Company is financially able to undertake and (3) which may
be of interest to the Company. A Director & Senior Management
who learns of such a corporate business opportunity and
who wishes to participate in it should disclose the opportunity
to the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors determines
that the Company does not have an actual or expected interest
in the opportunity, then, and only then, may the Director
& Senior Management participate in it, provided that
the Director & Senior Management has not wrongfully
utilized the Company's resources in order to acquire the
opportunity.
E. COMPANY PROPERTY
Directors & Senior Management have a responsibility
to safeguard and properly use Company assets and resources,
as well as assets of other organizations that have been
entrusted to the Company. Except as specifically authorized,
Company assets, including Company equipment, materials,
resources and proprietary information, must be used for
Company business purposes only.
F. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Directors & Senior Management shall maintain the confidentiality
of information entrusted to them by the Company. The Company’s
confidential and proprietary information shall not be inappropriately
disclosed or used for the personal gain or advantage of
the director or anyone other than the Company.
G. FAIR DEALING
Directors & Senior Management should endeavour to deal
fairly with the Company’s customers, suppliers, competitors
and employees and should never take unfair advantage of
others through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged
information, misrepresentation of material facts or any
other unfair dealing practice.
H. DISCLOSURE
It is Company policy to make full, fair, accurate, timely
and understandable disclosure in compliance with all applicable
laws and regulations in all its public communications, including
reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits
to, all appropriate Authorities. Directors & Senior
Management must abide by applicable Company policies and
procedures designed to promote compliance with this policy.
I. INSIDER TRADING
Directors & Senior Management are prohibited by Company
policy and the law from buying or selling securities of
the Company when in possession of material non-public information.
[There is, however, an exception for trades made pursuant
to a pre-existing trading plan.] Passing such information
on to someone who may buy or sell securities (tipping) is
also illegal. The prohibition applies to Company securities
and to securities of other companies if you learn material
non-public information about other companies, such as the
Company’s customers or suppliers, in the course of
your duties for the Company.
J. COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENTAL LAWS, RULES AND
REGULATIONS
Directors & Senior Management must comply with all applicable
governmental laws, rules and regulations. Directors &
Senior Management must acquire appropriate knowledge of
the legal requirements relating to their duties sufficient
to enable them to recognize potential dangers and to know
when to seek advice from the Audit Committee of the Board
of Directors or the Board of Directors.
K. NON-COMPLIANCE
Suspected violations of this Code must be reported to the
Chairman of the Board or the Chairman of the Audit Committee.
All reported violations will be appropriately investigated.
Directors who violate this Code may be subject to sanctions,
up to and including a request to resign as Director &
Senior Management or the Board’s seeking removal of
the director, where permitted by applicable law. Directors
& Senior Management must co-operate in any internal
or external investigations of possible violations. Reprisal,
threats, retribution or retaliation against any person who
has in good faith reported a violation or a suspected violation
of law, this Code or other Company policies, or against
any person who is assisting in any investigation or process
with respect to such a violation, is prohibited.
L. WAIVERS OF THE CODE
Any waiver of this Code must be approved by the Audit Committee
of the Board of Directors and publicly disclosed as required
by law or regulation.
M. NO RIGHTS CREATED
This Code sets forth guidelines for conduct for the Board
of Directors. It is not intended to and does not create
any rights in any director, officer, employee, client, supplier,
competitor, shareholder or any other person or entity.
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